Description & Review …
Definition of marginalised: According to the Oxford Dictionary, an adjective meaning “(of a person, group, or concept) treated as insignificant or peripheral.” NOTE: the spelling in the United States is marginalized.
In this book, marginalized (I am a USA reviewer.) may be, for example, low society, alcoholism, witchcraft, prostitution, ethnicity, criminal (remember that many so-called crimes of yesteryear are not considered so today), discrimination — let a wealthy man lose his fortune in yesteryear and even today. He’ll soon know what marginalization is about.
A key fact concerning this book is it is based in Great Britain. References are made to the “colonies” and the United States, but the book is for those researching the British Isles.
Other important elements: an index and a robust “References and Further Reading” which includes links to websites. Tracing Your Marginalised Ancestors has a 29-Feb-2024 publish date on NetGalley, but 30-Apr-2024 on Amazon. My NetGalley review copy is a DRC (digital review copy); however, according to Amazon, the book will only be available in paperback (208 pages). Neither NetGalley nor the publisher, Pen & Sword, Pen & Sword Family History, asked or required a positive review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The Introduction begins by stating that the book is to help family historians with British ancestry with behaviors or conditions that may have led to their marginalization or discrimination. A latter paragraph warns that the subjects may make for “uncomfortable reading”. Also noted — women were “sidelined” in many areas but there is not a chapter specifically about women.
Chapter titles (note, these may be modified before publishing): Poverty, Criminality, Immigration and Ethnicity, Prostitution, Illegitimacy, The Inebriate, Sickness and Disability, Mental Ill-Health, The Romany (gypsy) and Traveller Community, Witchcraft, Religious Belief, Sexuality, and Conscientious Objection and Desertion.
My genealogy research is still 99% in the United States. I have traced some ancestors to Great Britain but I have not started researching “overseas” yet. However, that does not mean that we “colonists” should ignore this book. It has some fascinating facts. Such as Oliver Cromwell, remember him, made an order in 1656 that all vagrants having no means of support were to be transported to the Americas. I have ancestors who arrived well 1656 but I need to check my data to see the ones that came during that time. Did you know that Virginia finally prohibited the importation of convicts in 1670, followed in 1676 by Maryland? Remember that a person could be labeled a “convict” in those times for something far from criminal.
Each chapter has a “story” based on a real person that has the “marginalization” of the chapter title.
This book is well-researched and is a great addition to genealogy research and I highly recommend it.
#TracingYourMarginalisedAncestors #NetGalley